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A Lesson in Betrayal, Part One
Team Titan Think Tank Issue 8- "A Lesson in Betrayal" (Part 1) Front Cover- Cain stands with stegosaurus plates elongating from his back, spewing electricity out at the reader as he looks to the background where he faces off against... Cain, spitting a ball of fire at the other Cain. The issue opens where we last left our heroes in the Rumble Room, after simulation 2, where everyone has now noticed Games Master's hole in his chest; the comic zooms in to show it more clearly. The hole reveals circuitry beneath, undamaged. "... You're a machine who plays video games?" Gunn walks over to look at the GM. "That seems somehow mastabatory." "What's mastabatory mean Mr Gunn?" Reb tilts his head innocently. Cain doesn't seem too phased by the machine reveal, instead spending a moment looking at the others as if they should have known already. "Self-pleasing." Gunn turns around, not missing a beat. "Or self-fulfilling." Reb nods understandingly and adds it to vocabulary. "...I..a...apologise, i risked f...frying your c...circuitry with...wait...what if...and then...that could work..converting the chemical into a...." Tonic says, as The Games Master stands, and merely shrugs. Tonic looks from Games Master to Gunn, and carries on muttering under her breath, checking things off on her fingers, sometimes putting the back down as she rules out concepts. "So what's the backstory, GM?" Sonne asks. Games Master seems not at all bothered by the hole in his chest. "I am an android," he replies, slowly looking up at Gunn. He seems unwilling to reveal further. Yu has his arms folded, his spear tucked between them, watching in a thoughtful silence. "... Well, thank you for that detail. I'm much clearer on the issue, here I was thinking it'd be insensitive to call you a robot." Sonne rubs the bridge of his nose. "I'd like to fix you up, but I'd need to know as much detail as I can before I start poking around in there." "May I say son, that it is a pleasure to have a fellow artificial intelligence around" says GRANDDAD to GM, his voice coming from the Room's speakers still. "...Hold on...if we took that and applied his research theorum to the result...we could possibly create a... that would...I NEED TO SPEAK TO WATERSTONE!" Tonic blurts out. Cain seems interested, if a little peturbed, at this outburst "... Er?" says Sonne. Tonic spins, fumbling in her pocket for a phone, and bolts...this time almost managing the door but running partially through the frame as well in her excitement "... So, Cain, Yu, as our experienced comrades in arms in this, can I motion that all this confusion isn't helping our unit cohesion?" says Sonne. "Still as curious..." says Reb as he watches Tonic exit. "The poor girl really should watch where she runs", adds Mr Psychic. From outside the Rumble Room comes the speech bubble of "What the hell?" There is a loud slamming knock on the door. "Who the hell was that? Who is in there?" "... Err, let me handle this."Gunn moves to head to the door. "DAD!" Reb calls as he heads over. "Reb? What are you doing in there? Its Shamrock again isn't it... I told her to keep my kids out of my work place..." "Looks like heroes can have their secrets too, James." he grins, staring at the fleeting Gunn and Reb rather than GM. "Open the door, kid. Daddy is NOT happy." "It's fine, Mister Briton! I was just making some upgrades with Reb's help!" Sonne calls back. Yu draws in breath to reply to Sonne, but stops at the disembodied voice, mystified. Reb looks to Gunn as if he is his saviour "What Mr Gunn said Dad, I'm helping people, it's nothing damgerous." "Yeah right... and who was the person who phased out and ran away as soon as I came up to use the room? Open the door. Now." Sonne looks exasperatedly at Yu. "Thats Dr Toni. She does that sometimes. She forgets about doors." Yu gives Sonne a shrug and looks upwards. "Red Buddha, open the door, please." "As you wish, old friend" says Red Base as the door opens. "Its, eh. It's like I was saying, Mr. Briton. It's just some maitainence." On the other side of the door is the Battling Briton. "Secrets..." Cain mocks in a quiet hiss, not loud enough to be heard outside the room. Behind the Briton is some kind of creature in a metallic suit, his head has a large transparent bubble helmet, and looks like a blue humanoid fish-head inside, the helmet filled with water. "Maintenance." One of BB's eyebrow raises "Yeah, I mean, Our android has a big hole through him. He needs fixing. And when I was going to start working, the Professor said she had an idea and ran out for a piece of kit. She just... forgot to open the door. That's all." Battling Briton looks to Sonne, who he has met, and then to Cain and Mr psychic and GM, who he he also knows at least by sight, and then to Yu, who he does not know Yu inclines his head in greeting, from one martial artist to another. "Maintenance. In the Rumble Room. The training simulator" he looks at his watch "And after lunch time, during my GSPD trainee training period..." He points at Yu. "With some kind of kung-fu master. Right." "We could move if you want Dad..." Reb smiles innocently "Well how do you think he GOT the hole?" Sonne adds. BB puts his hands to his hips. Sonne gives another winning smile, before stage-whispering over his shoulder. "For all our powers, none of us thought to bring a watch?!" "Well, I really hope it wasn't because you were all using the Room with the lethal setting, with my eldest son inside. Cos if so..." Battling Briton looks to Mr Psyhic, then Cain, "I am going to have to kick somebody's ass." The comic cuts to Tonic, hiding behind a plant-pot; she has her phone out "Yes. Waterstone here", comes from the phone "...l...Laura...d...director...s...sir...I n...need your c...clearance...for something? I...I think I know how to stop Blitzkrieg..." "Have you shared this idea with your team?" N...not y...yet. I wanted to g...get approval..." "Whats your idea?" "...We copy granda...Graham's research...except we do it in digital form. I would n...need the assistance of Gunn, and likely to use the nanites as a vector...an electronic virus form of Surge...to help Games Master in battle...but I need approval for testing. And as Gra...graham did, we use this as a template from which to create a Nullifier for Blitzkrieg's powers, if you will...After all, if his GRANDAD can have his entire mind digitised, turning a chemical into a digital form should be much simpler..." her fear seems to fade away as she descends into nerdish excitement as she speaks. "I think you've already proved why I put you on the team. You have my authorisation for developing and testing this idea. Good work, Tonic. Sonne and GRANDDAD's know how, along with Psychic's and GM's electronics knowledge, should make your idea possible. Now, go and take it to the others, for god's sake. You're a Think Tank, afterall." "Ok...I mean...yes sir..." The comic cuts back to the rest of the team and BB "So, why were a bunch of nerds, a dinosaur and some Chinese guy -really- in the Rumble Room with my son? And why has... GM, since when were you a robot?" BB rambles. "All of these questions have very, very good answers. And in time, we will share them. But we're already cutting into your precious time, Mr. Briton. We should get out of your way." Reb begins to head for the door "Yeah seeya later Dad, have a good traning session." He smiles. "You... are aware of the little Team that Mrs. Waterstone has decided to put together, aren't you, Mister Briton?" There is something of a grin to the question, which he asks with loosely folded arms Reb turns to look at Cain as if he must be mad. Gunn facegauntlets. "Well, obviously not, or I wouldn't be asking the question, would I Custody Cain?" BB snaps back. "Mr Briton... remember when you came to pick me up?" Yu peers at Cain, clearly wondering where he's getting at. "Yeah... I was assuming she was going to put you on Team Prime" BB says turning back to Sonne "Well, let's just say she didn't. And let's just say I can't say more. Reading me?" "Mister Waterstone, your wife wishes to speak with you" says Red Base "I'm a little busy with the horrid realistion she just restarted Team Titan Black and put my son on it Red..." "Now. She is threatening breaking your DVD collection." "Hey damn it... she can't..." Yu doesn't quite know what to make of that. BB looks to the fish man. "Sorry, Deep Thought. Training session is postponed. Go and wait in the Rec Room." A telepathic thought bubble appears in a German accent, you all hear a booming voice "YES HERR BRITON." He looks to the heroes as they flinch and adds "SORRY, MEIN FREUNDS" and then heads off one way up the corridor as BB runs the other. Mr Psychic looks up with a raised eyebrow in reaction to the accent. Cain recovers quickly with a curt cough "... I had that totally under control, Scales. The heck was that?" Sonne retorts to Cain. Reb looks worried. "In truth, I was close to saying what you had. I dare say I would've pointed him more *directly* to his wife, but... you have my approval." He hisses the last part with a touch of derisive glee Yu gives his head a quick, rough shake, before turning to face the others, looking rather interested in what Cain has to say as well. "I wouldn't have had to say what I said if you didn't let the-... gah!" Sonne yells out the last bit in some frustration. "Watch where you're running, next time, Doc!" BB yells down the corridor, as Tonic walks back towards the heroes down the corridor, past BB. "Man, Dad sure can get scary...not Laura scary, but still scary," Reb mutters. She turns bright red at the comment and fixes her eyes firmly on the floor "Maybe we should go take five or something, cool our afterburners. Fix GM." "Battling Briton will be returning soon enough, and the room will be in use until 6'0 clock, so that would be wise, Mister Gunn" says Red, as Tonic regroups with the team. "And I, for one, enjoy wise." Cain chirps, starting to make for the door, but pausing by Tonic. He twists to look in and try and read her expression, or at least get her attention; beneath the embarassment, she actually looks rather smug. "A...approval was granted..." she has a faint smile on her face. Reb goes over to help GM in anyway he can. "You sure you're OK Mr Masters?" "Indeed. A hole in one's chest cannot be of much comfort", Mr Psychic agrees. "Come now, doctor..." Cain says to Tonic "We can discuss whatever that means in a more suitable location." The comic first cuts to Games Master and Sonne in the lab, Reb and Yu with them and watching. Sonne has taken a set of tools from the lab and has laid them out on a workbench. "Mind resting back so I can take a gander?" Reb sits on a nearby table, watching. "You a good robot doctor Mr Gunn? I assume you are, you made that cool robot suit and all," The Games Master looks up with mistrusting eyes. "If you think you can do better than what my repair system is already doing, then sure." He gives a nod. "Hey, GM. I have tiny robots in my blood stream containing my Grandfather. I can fix you like no-one's business, no-one but a Gunn's." "Some reassurance." Reb's legs start kicking back and forth as he watches Gunn work with awe, "Yeah, Dad said your Dad was good at stuff like this, so making awesome robots is genetic?" Yu stands at a reasonable distance, watching. His weapon is not with him, having been replaced back into his quarters on the way. "I guess so!" Gunn comments as he gets his tools and goes to work. "Don't forget my Mother in all this, neither." "She makes awesome robots too?" "Nope. Though she was known as Deus Ex Machina for a while... Oh wow, that's some interesting work. I can fix that, easy." "God from the machine... she must have been divine, like, with robotics, for such a name though, right?" "Heh, you know Latin? Mum told me it was a dead language." "Oh only a little bit, like scientific terms and the like, I couldn't like, ask for directions or general chitchatt in it or anything," Yu stares at the hole in GM's chest, shaking his head faintly with reserved amazement. He doesn't seem to be paying the conversation much attention. "Yeah, latin is dead, but it's being kept alive mainly for both people to sound smart and for scientisst to name stuff. I think modern day, they keep it still for trademark reasons, hard to break trade mark in latin..." Reb ponders as he rambles on "Well for the most of this I should be able to put down some framework. Your systems should be able to fix the rest, kinda like putting it into a splint or something similar, just a lot quicker." Gunn mutters as he is wrist deep in GM's chest. "Oh now that's -beautiful-..." The comic cuts to Cain and Tonic. Cain, who is leaning a little over the table, a steady tap, tap, tap comes from beneath it as his large main foot claw taps away at the floor. His gaze very much set on Tonic "D...d...do you m...mind not st...staring?" "Do you mind, Miss Stevens, giving me some inclination as to why we are here?" *Tap... tap...* "...Y...you w...were the one that called a m...meeting..." "Because you had something to say. And so far you've tried to avoid saying *anything*. So, please... try me." "I...t...think I have a plan...to stop Blitzkrieg. But it might be d...dangerous, so I got clearance from the b...boss first?" "Plans, Tonic, happen to be my forte. If you wouldn't mind letting on some actual detail, I'm sure there's a lot I could do to help move it along..." "...w...we should wait for the others." *fidget fidget fidget* "I fail to see why." he says with a greater lean, and a slower, more pronounced tapping "St...stop tapping, please." "Of course." He looms a moment, then sits more properly, though still turned to her. She doesn't say anything else. "... nothing. You're going to sit there and say *nothing* until you get some *human* company." ...n...no, until the people who I n....need the help of to m...make what I n..need are here." She gives him a brief, uncharacteristically sharp stare, then her eyes dart back awkwardly to the floor "I...I'm not a...afraid of you, Cain." "Splendid. That would be a fairly disasterous thing to base a team around, wouldn't it? But you seem to underestimate my skills, Tonic. I can guarantee you that whatever it is you happen to be planning, I can do an awful lot to see happen. I haven't been idle the past four years, I assure you..." "...N...nor have I. B....but t...that might be above your c...clearance..." "... if nothing else I could convey your little scheme without so much stuttering." She closes her eyes, and that seems to calm her down "I...stutter because of the distractions...is this better?" "Somewhat." he says, unimpressed "I can speak like this. And then you will know everything." "...But it'll be at the same time as the others." Cain's eyes narrow. Narration- "An Hour Later" as we cut back to the laboratory Reb has gotten bored and so now is playing on a Gameboy in the background still on the table as Sonne finishes closing up the 'wound' in GM's chest as he welds on some scrap metal. Yu has barely moved and hasn't spoken a word, still watching. "It's nothing like your chasis... but it's framework, like I say." Sonne hangs up the welding torch and flicks the shade clear of his face.Sonne then stops and pushing up the welding mask and watches in wonder as the synthetic flesh then automatically closes over the metal shell, now the damage is repaired. "... Er. Like that, yeah." All of the team enters the meeting room, as Cain and Tonic sit in uncomfortable silence. Mr Tops, standing outside at the door, raises his hat to them. "Hi Mr Tops!" Reb waves over enthuastically. "Hey big guy, you gunna give me the number of your hatter?" Gunn quips as he strides past, with a wink to Tops. "I do believe that two top hats on one team is already raising the quota a little much, Mister Gunn" he says with a smirk "Yeah? Maybe a bowler." "I am not sure it works with the whole force-field helmet, so much. Maybe for wining and dining, though." Gunn laughs it off as he walks into the room. "One can never have too many top hats my good man" Psychic adds. Cain sets down a fine cup, mostly drained, and turns to see the rest as they enter. Mr Tops, as part of the team, will enter behind them, and then lock the door from the inside with an internal key pad as he moves behind Cain, as the others sit. The Games Master looks down at Reb to comment, "I'm glad you made good use of that gameboy." He winks. "N...now that Mr Cain is done trying to scare me..." Gunn sends a look to Cain. "I like the Tetris one, I find bach so soothing to listen to, especially in 8 bit glory" Reb says to GM. "Oh, come now." Cain says, waving the accusation away "Red, are we secure?" Gunn asks, looking to the ceiling. "Indeed, Sonne, my friend" the soothing Chinese accented voice speaks from the walls themselves "Alright." Sonne heads to the head of the table. "I've managed to fix GM up. He's remarkably durable, and I think in the field I can do similar repairs." Yu nods, taking this on board. "Reassuring." Cain says over his cup, which he sips from again Reb sits down next to Gunn. "So...Miss Toni... Dr Toni, sorry, you got approved by Laura... Director Waterstone, even." "...yes, I did. I m...might, well, h...have a w...way to stop BLitzkrieg." "Hey, that's excellent! What's the details, Doctor?" Sonne asks. "...I will n...need your help. And GRANDDAD's...and Mr Psychic's...and Games Master as well..." Reb looks round a bit as if waiting for a name, then looks very uncared for. "I am always willing to help when it means putting an end to Blitzkrieg's dastardly doings", Psychic adds. "I have p...permission to....umm..." she pauses "Attempt a digital recreation...a computer virus if you will, of Surge that will affect Games Master...and to copy my grandfather's life work...and use it as a template for a computer virus conversion of Nullifier...one that we can affect Blitzkrieg with... this...this hasn't been done before... s...so I w...went to get Waterstone's consent... t...think of it as a chemical/digital hybrid..." The Games Master jumps forward with a look of discomfort on his face as if the hole in his chest had just burst open once more. "Toni, you cannot mean to input a computer virus into my systems? Please explain further. I do not wish to be corrupted.." He pauses, then twitches, seeming more robotic than ever before, as memories play back in his mind. "N...no, not exactly a virus. That was a...simplification, to help p...people understand." "Dumbing down your terminoligy for the Think Tank. Splendid", Cain retorts. "...N...no, not at all...that's n...not what I..." Tonic stutters. "Cain, quit the snide act. Go on, Doctor", Sonne says. "...More a d...digitsation of the s...same basic compounds....a Biotechnical hybrid of the enhanced versions of S...Surge I have b...been working on for the past four years...f..f.rom which I can extract, with the h...help of Gunn and his n...nanites and Mr Psychic's g...gadgetry a templated antiform...as I...did with the specialised versions of Nullifier and the negative Surge subtypes that can cause nonbeneficial biological mutations...in short, to make av...version of Nullifier that can t...target and remove Blitz's powers..." "Nullifier... I recall hearing about such a drug", Psychic reflects. "...I t...think the nanites would be the best vector for it...but S...Sonne might have a better idea... nullifier...removes powers. The standard form simply eliminates them completely in superhumans...but my f...forms can target more specifically..." "And i have e...eliminated most s...side effects to b...both basic compounds..." "Are you certain it will be safe? It's my understanding that the drug it was derived from was quite lethal" Psychic asks. "...y...yes, I know...because my grandfather was the one who used it." "GRANDDAD, what do you think?" Gunn asks. "Well, I am able to connect into your nanites electronically myself, Sonne, for private communications. I could do this with these nanites this Blitzkrieg has created as well. However, though I can disrupt communucations to make us undetectable to them, I cannot do further. However, this demonstrates Miss Steven's idea to be achievable. Perhaps with myself as the delivery system." "With negliable risk to yourself, right?" "That... might be an issue. If the virus affects electronic systems, then it, i assume would be indiscriminate in that. However, i am a human consciousness within a machine, so... I -might- have something of an immunity." "Stevens... I assume your grandfather would be Graham Stevens, a rather brilliant scientist back in my day." Tonic nods in response to Mr Psychic "If for a moment I stand to reason that this will not corrupt my circuits - then how do you intend that I use this Nullifier on Blitzkrieg?" Games Master asks. "Anything we can do to help in that, let us know. But we have a method of approach, Doc. Which is more than we had 2 hours ago. Good work", Sonne compliments. "...GRANDDAD, I ...we can p...probably make a version s...specific to Blitzkrieg... s..so you should be immune...I have p...proved it possible with the chemical equivalency...with forms of Surge that overclock anatomical mutations to negative effect...to make a version far more targetted... a...as I said, S...Sonne...I am n...not bad with c...computers but y...you are much better with m...machines..." "We are a team and with that comes trust. If this is what we must do to succeed in stopping Blitzkrieg, then I shall lend my trust to you. Though I'd rather not be treated as just a machine, even if it is what I am", GM says. His body slumps mechanically like a wind up toy when it runs out of turns. "It w...was Games Master that gave me the idea. W...when I tried to apply a dose of Surge...and it bounced off. And he was revealed to be an android...I realised that for the same reason my chemicals w...would not be of use...and started trying to think of ways to make them...and I t...thought of your nanites, and G...GRANDAD...and realised that i...if he can be converted into software, in essense...a chemical is far simpler and thus should in theory be perfectly possible to achieve...and if we can make a version of Surge that can do that...surely we can use that as a template for a Nullifier that affects robots...like Blitzkrieg... I...d...do not see you as just a m...machine. If I did...y...you would just be floating atoms to m...my eyes..." "If you are certain this will be safe for the others I shall lend my knowledge into its creation", Psychic confirms. "I...if I could t...test it on myself I would..." she shrugs "But I am strictly organic..." "I can see testing the electronic Surge... but testing the Nullifier sounds a little... dangerous" says GRANDDAD "I w...was n...not going to test that on Games Master... I...I'm n...not l...like that..." "I'm feeling less like a hedgehog and more like a guinea pig..." The Games Master mutters. "Everyone, calm down." Gunn straightens his back, and sets his face to a neutral, empathic expression. Reb looks up from his game with a raised eyebrow, then back down as a t block has appeared and he really needs that one. "We have to face the facts that our opponent is principally a robotic construct with elements of humanity within to a lesser or greater extent. What Blitzy has done compared to what my GrandFather has done is an example of this. Doctor Toni has done nothing to earn our mistrust, and as a team, she deserves the benefit of the doubt. What we can test now, in our downtime approaching our insertion, is one less jury rig in the field. We need to give Toni all the resource, and aid, we can muster. And willingly. If anyone would not wish to partake in this, they need only say so." "You're right, lad. I didn't mean to sow any dissent. Truly, you are Samuel's son. Proud of you, kid" says GRANDDAD's voice Reb holds his hand up after pausing; he looks like he wants to ask a question more then say 'I won't help.' "What's up, Reb?" Gunn says, trying not to look too boyishly pleased at his Grandfather's praise. "I'd like to help Mr Gunn and Mis..Dr toni but this is an experimental leap in both chemstry and robotics, happens to be in two fields I know nothing about in comparison...what can i do to help?" "You've intellect beyond your years, Reb. You can sanity check our work if nothing else. If anything seems too radical, or too out-there, make us explain it to you until you understand. If this conversation has served us anyhow, it's shown us that we can improve for it." Reb puts his hand down and looks a bit confused but nods. "Y...you c...can also help me out in the lab...an extra pair of hands is always useful...if you want t...to. I c...can teach you as we go? ...W...would probably make your mum happy...if y...you're learning something that might h...help in school h...here?" "Thank you Dr Toni, but I'm sure I'd only get in your way. Besides I feel the need to research my rather unexpected power outburst I had against the old kung fu master. The ablity to produce substance with the mind has many applications; if i can push the limits of my mental cablitiles i could theoretically be more useful. but if there is anything you really need, I'll do my best," "...Y...yes...what you did was...fascinating...you m...manipulated the potential subatomic particles b...between quarks..." "I have to admit, fixing up GM has given me some ideas... I could use some lab time." "Hmm? i did that..." Reb muses. "Does that mean I have the capability to quite literally produce particles from nothing or at the very least shape virtual particles as i see fit..." he muses further lost in thought. "...y...yes, it m...might...y...you turned potential into physical...v...visible... b...but t...this is s...straying from the point..." Cain sets down his cup in a very deliberate, attention attracting manner. "Indeed." He gets up, pushing his chair back with the motion. "I do believe we've all learned a lot today, lady and gentlemen... Team, if you will. Now, there are still some training excercises left in the regime, but for now it sounds like an excellent time to dwell on what we've seen already. As has been said... testing can be done, labs worked in. If it's what you need, feel free to even spend some time in the rec room, or your own quarters. But for now? Well done, Think Tank. I'm glad to see we're moving along nicely." He looks powerfully at Yu, then, thinking quite loudly, ends with the thought "We'll see just how far soon enough..." End of issue.